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Ethnography

Eleme Society

Despite the influx of multinational chemical industries and
their workforce into Eleme, a strong sense of society is retained
by the Eleme people. This section details the socio-political
system and the importance of religion and education in Eleme
life.

Socio-political System

Eleme is not a Kingdom, but rather a territory occupied by
related clans in a cofederal relationship. The head of the tribe is
known as Oneh Eh Eleme (Chief of Eleme). Beneath him are
the paramount rulers of each of the two major clans Oneh Eh
Nchia (Chief of Nchia) and Oneh Eh Odido (Chief of
Odido). Each clan is further divided into small communties (and
then further into areas of the community). The traditional ruler of
each community is known as Oneh Eh Eta (Town Chief).

Clans

Eleme has two clans, Odido and Nchia, each with their own
dialect. Odido and Nchia can be easily understood by speakers of
the opposing dialect. The Nchia dialect is spoken in the Western
areas of the Eleme territory and the Odido dialect is spoken in the
East and Southeast regions.

Village

Clan

Agbonchia

Nchia

Akpajo

Nchia

Alesa

Nchia

Aleto

Nchia

Alode

Nchia

Ogale

Nchia

Ebubu

Odido

Ekporo

Odido

Eteo

Odido

Onne

Odido

Education

Education in Eleme is carried out in English and very limited
opportunities are given to incorporate the Eleme language into the
studies of school children. While literacy in English is afforded
to those who stay in education long enough, very few people can
read and write in Eleme adequately. Even those who are highly
literate in English may express difficulties in reading and writing
Eleme. One of the main reasons literacy levels are so low is that
teachers and would-be teachers have been given no formal literacy
training in Eleme (Obele 1998: 1-2). Therefore, despite the
standardization of the Eleme orthography and the introduction of
literacy materials under the auspices of the River Readers Project
(a government funded literacy programme instantiated in the early
1970s), literacy levels remain low.

Religion

The vast majority of Eleme people are Christians, usually
belonging to a church related in some way to the Church of Nigeria.
New churches are constantly being built, representing the ever
growing presence of Christianity in Nigeria. The Church in Eleme
forms the backbone of moral education outside the family. It also
represents the centre of social networks within the community.

Young Eleme Christians typically belong to the Eleme division of
the Anglican Youth Fellowship, an organisation with centres in
participating communities across the Niger Delta and beyond. The
AFY regularly holds training days and organises events to encourage
understanding and knowledge of the Christian faith in the next
generation of Nigerian Christians.

In addition to Christianity, reflecting the diversity of
Nigeria, other religions are also practised in Eleme. Most notably
these are Islam and traditional (animist) beliefs.